ASKED FOR COMMITTEE TO STUDY THE WEIGHTING OF GRADES:
Unfortunately, I don't even remember how much if any of this committee's work was implemented. By the time these things get hashed out, there's no telling what they did. I would be interested to know if grade averages with regard to class placement are still skewed. My main objective was to be fair. That's a quality that doesn't always come up with things KISD!
The other matter has to do with the fact that shortly after this time, the superintendent, Hugh Hayes, got rid of ability grouping, so most of this plan would have been tossed out the window. He had to do that because having students in courses that were more difficult than those taken by other students wasn't part of the socialistic plan that he and the TEA and the Commissioner of Education were implementing all over Texas! When you look at the courses below, you will immediately see the evidence of the dumbing down that occurred at that time and that exists until this very moment. It's a crime!
KATY INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT
TAYLOR HIGH SCHOOL
MEMORANDUM
TO: Dr. Hugh Hayes
FROM: Committee to Study the Weighting of Grades
SUBJECT: Summary & Recommendation
DATE: June 17, 1993
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Committee members to study the weighting of grades as follows:
Chairperson - Mary McGarr
Members: NAME POSTION SCHOOL
James McDonald Principal THS
Bill Haskett Principal KHS
Ron Jetton Principal MCHS
Art Hinds Dir Guid/Coun ADM BLDG
Linda Smiley Instruc Off/Sp Ed ADM BLDG
Carolyn Raper Instruc Sp/Sci THS
Jennifer Watson Instruc Sp/SS MCHS
Brenda Owen Instruc Sp/Sci KHS
Molly Smith Parent THS
Vickie Patranella Parent MCHS
The following are the basic points of the plan as recommended:
1) Weighted grade points will be awarded for KISD honors courses in the four required academic areas only.
It was felt that by restricting the awarding of weighted grade points to only the four required academic areas, a greater emphasis would be placed in these areas. Since no electives would receive weighted grades, all electives would be equal. Weighted grade points would be awarded to the following honors courses when taken in grades 9-12 during the regular high school year.
Math: Geometry-H, Algebra-H, Trigonometry-H, Elementary Analysis-H, Calculus-H/AP. (Either another course will need to be developed or a system developed to award another grade point for those students who take Geometry before entering high school.)
English: English I-H, II-H, III-H/A.P., IV-H/A.P., English 1-H/GT, II-HGT, III-H/GT, IV-H/GT
Science: Biology I-H, II-H/A.P., Chemistry I-H, II-H/A/P., Physics I-H, II-H/A.P. (If this plan is implemented in 1993-94, Phy Sci H would need to be added for only this one year.
Social Studies: World History-H, U.S. History-H/A.P., U.S. Government-H/A.P., Economics-H/A.P. (if U. S. History is moved to the 9th grade we may want to consider adding U. S. History-H.) [Notice that they were already trying to mess with the traditional U. S. History at the 11th grade.MM]
2. No more than four honors courses would receive weighted grade points per calendar year.
This would allow all students an equal opportunity to acquire weighted grade points in the four required academic areas. It would also allow students the opportunity of taking some elective courses without the concern of losing a grade point. A student could receive weighted grade points for only one course in each of the four required academic areas each year.
3. Honors and Advanced Placement courses could be taken in elective areas, but would not receive weighted grade points.
The transcript would reflect those honors courses which would indicate to the colleges that the student was willing to work beyond the standard curriculum for those courses.
4. Class rank will be calculated using courses taken during the ninth, tenth, eleventh, and twelfth grade years.
Even though some students in junior high school are taking courses that count toward their high school graduation, it was felt that they should not have to face the pressure of accumulating grade points that begin the determination of their class rank. It was further felt that all students should enter high school on an even basis in regard to class rank.
5. Grade point averages will be calculated on a four point scale.
A=4
B=3
C=2
D=1
Special Education classes will not be calculated in class rank. However, Special Education students who are enrolled in regular education classes will receive grades and weighted grades in the same manner as other students in Regular Education. Course transfer acceptability will be determined on an individual basis by the principal.
6) Students transferring to KISD from another school district will be expected to meet the same standards as KISD students and will receive weighted grade points only in the designated courses.
7) In the event of a tie in the G.P.A. for the top ten graduates, the most number of Advanced Placement courses completed will be used to decide the placement. If there is still a tie, then the G.P.A in these A.P. courses will be used to break the tie. If the tie cannot be broken with the above criteria, then co-recognition will be given.
This plan for the weighting of grades could become effective with the Class of 1997. The ninth grade students of 1993-94 would be the first students who would receive weighted grade points in the four required academic areas only and not in the elective areas.
The committee believes that this recommended plan would be a fair and equitable way to weight grades. However, after careful consideration, the committee believes that it would be in the best interest of the students and the district to delay the implementation date to the 1994-95 school year. the following reasons and concerns would need to be addressed if the plan is implemented this year.
1) The plan has not been publicized and would need to be in the next year's High School Course Description booklet.
2) Since students have already made choices, counselors would need to come back on duty to call and make schedule changes.
3) Since computer services is not going to be on line in July for the schools, there may not be time to prepare for this change.
4) If the plan is delayed to 1994-95, the committee would like to meet one more time i the fall to re-evaluate the proposed weighting of grades plan.
Mary McGarr, Chair
[In retrospect, I wish that the committee had used a 4.5 or a 5. system. That would have made it easier to calculate. Chances are, good students are going to make straight A's, thus making the determination of the Top 10 more difficult to determine.]